This invention relates to apparatus for feeding wire along a predetermined path and, more particularly, to apparatus in which the wire is fed by pinching the wire between at least one pair of opposing feed rolls while rotatably driving the rolls in opposite directions. The rolls are journaled by and project cantilever fashion from two subsupports which are associated with a main support or frame.
To enable the wire to be threaded between the feed rolls, the subsupport for one roll is fixed to the main support while the subsupport for the other roll is guided on the main support for movement toward and away from the fixed subsupport so that the rolls may be separated for purposes of threading the wire between the rolls. Once the threading has been completed, the movable subsupport is moved toward the fixed subsupport by a spring or by a reciprocating fluid-operated actuator in order to cause the movable roll to force the wire tightly against the fixed roll. The wire thus becomes pinched between the rolls and is fed with little or no slippage when the rolls are rotated.
Because the rolls extend cantilever fashion from the subsupports, the actuator for the movable subsupport is offset laterally from the rolls. When the movable roll pushes the wire against the fixed roll, the force exerted by the laterally offset actuator tends to cause the movable roll to cock relative to the fixed roll and also produces some cocking of the fixed roll. Such cocking not only is detrimental to efficient feeding of the wire but also imposes heavy loads on the journals of the rolls and causes uneven wearing of the rolls.